This invention relates to fishing rod and tackle carriers, and more particularly, to an apparatus for organizing and transporting ice fishing rods and tackle so as to keep the rods from becoming tangled.
Various devices for organizing and transporting fishing gear or other implements are known in the art. With many of these devices, the fishing rods are exposed and come into contact with the ground when the device is set down. Additionally, with many of the prior art devices the fishing rods are loosely secured in place.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an ice fishing bucket for organizing ice fishing rods and gear.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an ice fishing bucket, as aforesaid, which restrains movement of the rods during transportation.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an ice fishing bucket as aforesaid which protects the ice fishing rods and gear.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by an ice fishing bucket having a bucket lid and handle. A piece of foam, optimally circular in shape and hereinafter referred to as a foam disk, is fitted into the bottom of the bucket. The foam disk has holes for receiving the handle ends of ice fishing rods. Optimally, such holes do not fully penetrate the foam disk but form cups with remaining portions of the foam disk forming the bottoms. The bucket lid has a large hole cut in it and a doughnut shaped foam ring fitted around the inner periphery of the hole. Slits are cut along the inner circumference of the foam ring in vertical alignment with the holes in the foam disk at the bottom of the bucket. These slits penetrate approximately half the width of the foam ring. To organize fishing rods, the handle of a rod is placed in one of the holes in the foam disk at the bottom of the bucket. The middle portion of the rod is then pushed into the corresponding slit in the foam ring. Friction between the rod and the slit in the foam ring holds the rod in place. The upper ends of positioned rods extend from the top of the bucket. Other items such as tackle and lures may be placed in the center of the bucket where they are cushioned by the foam disk Optionally, a hole, cup, depression or other structure may be incorporated into the center portion of the foam disk to aid in cushioning and restraining material placed in the center of the bucket.